Events during

2001-NOVEMBER

Events during 2001-NOV:

NOV-1:National American Indian Heritage Month begins today.
It was established by Congress in 1990 to honor the important contributions
made by America's Aboriginal peoples.

NOV-1:All Saints' Day (a.k.a. All Hallows' Day) is a holy day
when Christians in the west recall the lives of the saints. The Eastern Orthodox churches
celebrate All Saints Day in the springtime -- the Sunday after Pentecost.

NOV-2:All Souls' Day
(a.k.a. the Day of the Dead). This is a Christian day for prayer and
almsgiving in memory of ancestors who have died.
Catholics
pray for the souls of the dead, in an effort to hasten their transition from
Purgatory to Heaven.

NOV-6:
This is Election Day in the U.S.

NOV-11:
This is Veterans Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day in
Canada - a time to recall the sacrifices made by our soldiers during
wartime and, more recently, during peacekeeping duties. 3

NOV-12:
Members of the Baha'i Faith
celebrate the Birthday of Baha'u'llah. He is the divine messenger
and the founder of the Baha'i faith.

NOV-4:
The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is held
yearly so that Christians can pray for fellow believers who live in
lands were there is little religious freedom. 6

NOV-14:
The five-day festival of Diwali begins. Also called Divali,
Dewali, Deepavali, and the Festival of Lights, it is a celebration of
good over evil, and is related to ancient stories of struggles between a
goddess and a demon. It is observed by both
Hindus and
Jains. It is also the time of the New
Year according to the Vikrama calendar. 2

NOV-16:Ramadan begins approximately today. Its exact
beginning depends upon viewing the crescent moon. It is a lunar month of
about 30 days. Muslims engage in prayer, fasting and meditation.

NOV-18:
The annual National Bible Week starts in the U.S. It has been
sponsored by the National Bible Association since 1941. Everyone
is encouraged to read the Bible. 5

NOV-22:
Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.

NOV-23: Sikhs celebrate the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev.

NOV-26:
Members of the Baha'i Faith observe theDay of the
Covenant -- the day that Baha'u'llah's son Abdul-Baha
became the Center of the Covenant.

NOV-26:
Jains celebrate Maunajiyaras, a day of fasting,
silence, and meditation on the five holy teachers of Jainism.

NOV-28:
Members of the Baha'i Faith observe the day of
Ascension of Abdu'l-Baha, recalling the death of Abdul-Baha.

NOV-30: Christians celebrate St. Andrew's Day.

Early in December:

DEC-2: This is the First Sunday in Advent, a.k.a. Advent
Sunday. Advent is a series of Christian
observances leading up to Christmas.

DEC-8: This is The feast of the Immaculate Conception,
celebrated by Roman Catholics. The feast is linked to
the date 1854-DEC-8, when Pope Pius IX formally defined the dogma. It is the
belief that the Virgin Mary was conceived without sin circa 20
BCE. Many people believe incorrectly that it refers
to Jesus' conception circa 5 BCE.